Paper Mario: The Fabled Quest
by SuperDaisy
Summary: Paper Bowser has a new plan, and uses it to kidnap Princess Peach! Can Mario save her? Or will it be Game Over for all?


**Disclaimer: Paper Mario is a mute, yet everyone understands him. He only talks in his thoughts.**

In a distant universe, a paper world exists. Most people kind and pure, but some nasty and evil. The most well-known merciless brute, Paper Bowser, was preparing to make a suspicious deal in his impressive cardboard castle. King Koopa sat in the throne room, impatiently tapping the arm of his chair with his claw. "What could be taking this guy so long?" He grumbled. A loud knock was heard as a dry bones guard rushed in front of Bowser.

"You were expecting a visitor, my King?" The guard inquired.

"Yeah." He replied, sitting up. "Is someone here?"

"Uh, that's the problem. We can't actually see anyone; it was most likely a prank."

"Good, that's him, or her. Let them in!"

"But there's no one there, my King!"

"I said, let them in!" The fire breathing turtle bellowed.

"Right away, sir." He mumbled, before darting away and wiping drops of spit off his face. A few moments later, the door seemed to open by themselves, yet Bowser did not look surprised.

"I see you brought it."

"Yes." A female voice uttered. "The cape of invisibility."

"Well, hand it over then!"

"Not until you give me half your minions. That was the deal." The voice said, revealing herself. She was a thin, black-haired woman wearing a long purple gown.

Two of the dry bones had been eavesdropping, and looked in the doorway.

"What?! You're seriously not giving away half of your army!"

"Why not? Most of you are useless, and I'm only giving away the weak ones."

"That's fine." The lady shrugged. "I'll have them toughened in no time."

The second guard walked over to Bowser. "Hope you're not planning on giving us away." He sneered.

"Oh, I am." He growled back.

The guard didn't look so smug now, he and his friend were running for their lives.

"That should shut them up for a while. Anyway, give me the cloak."

"Give me your minions first." She crossed her arms.

The King looked frustrated; he wanted to squish her, but he was unsure what powers she could possess. He heard some sounds coming from the hallway, causing him to leap off his chair. **"Huh?"** he thought to himself. A small goomba wearing blue stripy pyjamas peered in the room.

"Um, sir? Did you need anything?"

"Actually, I do! Go round up all the goombas, koopas, shyguys, boos and all the other useless enemies. "

"Sir, we're not useless-"

"Are you disobeying me?"

"No sir! Of course not! But, why?"

"I'll tell you once you get the rest of the weaklings. I don't need to waste my breath on you! Bwahaha!" He roared, thinking he was funny. Once he realised no one else was laughing, he quickly stopped. "Well, hurry up then!"

"Oh right!" The little goomba jogged off, and returned with all of the 'weak ones.'

"You all work for her now."

Chaos spread throughout the throne room, each minion was blaming another for what had happened; Bowser face palmed, they didn't understand at all.

"You're not fired, just think of it as a temporary job, that actually lasts for ever." Bowser reasoned.

Murmurs of disagreement could be heard from the crowd; this was a really stupid idea.

"Hey!" A green shy guy barked. "If you're not our boss anymore, why should we listen to you?"

"Yeah!" They chorused.

Bowser looked startled, he wasn't expecting them to turn against him. "Urm…"

"You should listen to me." The woman raised her voice. "I'll be a better leader than he ever was!"

"She's probably right." A boo whispered to a group of koopa. "Bowser is a terrible boss."

"Yeah. I got bet up by Mario and he only shouted at me! I try so hard, he's just a big meanie!"

"That dastardly Luigi cracked my tooth! And you know what Bowser did?" A Piranha Plant questioned the minions.

"What?"

"He-… he… called me spotty face!"

Everybody gasped. A parakoopa shook her head in disapproval.

The lady sighed. "If you hate him so much just come with me!" She walked out of the castle and tossed the cape on the floor. As the minions followed her, they trampled it, leaving it crumpled on the flooring. "Kamek!" Bowser called. The blue-cloaked magikoopa flew into the room on his favourite broom.

"Yes, Your Nastiness?"

"Pick up the cape from the ground."

"Ah… I don't see any cape."

"Huh? Oh. Its invisible."

"Ooh? A magic cape you say?" He cackled.

"You sound like Kammy! Just hurry up and find it!"

After a few minutes of feeling the floor Kamek yelled. "Found it!"

"Bwahaha! All of the things I could do with this."

 **In the Mushroom Kingdom.**

One of the fairest princesses in the paper world, princess Peach, was lying in her light pink bed, thinking about the event that would occur tomorrow: Princess Daisy's birthday. Her friend was currently on her cruise ship, three quarters of the way there. She would arrive by morning.

"I really should be sleeping." She sighed. "But I just can't."

After a few more minutes of talking to herself, she finally shut her eyes.

 **BANG!**

She sat up.

"What was that?" She whispered, jumping out of her bed. Maybe Daisy had arrived early, and wanted to stay in the palace? Yes, that was probably it. The princess knew she should go back to sleep, but she wanted to greet her best friend, or at least find out what that sound was. She always had a curious mind. She opened her door, which made a terrible creak. **"We really need to get some new doors."** She thought to herself. Peach creeped out, trying not to alert the guards, until she realised they were asleep. "I need to hire new ones." She murmured, and tiptoed away. She was on the stairs when she felt a shiver down her spine. The princess was sensing the presence of someone else…behind her. Claws dug into her shoulders, and lifted up her up.

"Help! Help!" She shrieked, struggling madly. Someone or something was holding her, she had to do something. She jerked her leg, kicking behind her, which caused her to suddenly fall to the ground.

"Ouch! Ow, ow ow!" A familiar voice yelled. Peach recognised this voice. "Bowser?" She whispered, before realising that she was wasting time. She pushed past Bowser and ran to her room, considering whether she should wake the guards. No, they wouldn't be able to do anything. They were just toads, after all, another reason why she _really_ needed new guards. She grabbed her IBone, and groaned, remembering that she had forgotten her password. She threw it on the carpet and opened a drawer, trying to find something. The princess felt something fluffy and her face lit up. **"Yes!"** Princess Peach was holding her old Shysung phone, which had a furry case. **"It'll have to do."** After turning it on, she tapped the phone icon, and scrolled through her contacts until she found the one she wanted. Mario. The phone rang, as she heard loud footsteps nearing her room. **"Pick up! Please pick up!"** She mouthed. "'Mario' cannot take your call right now. Please try again later." No! She scribbled on a piece of paper and slipped it under her bed. Someone grunted from outside, and the door handle twisted.

"No-o-oo-oo!"

 **Mario and Luigi's house.**

Sunlight shined onto the red-hatted plumber's face through a crack in the curtains, signalling it was time to wake up. Moaning, he stepped out of his bed and looked at his alarm clock. 7 AM. Luigi was snoring loudly above him, so Mario unlocked his phone to distract himself. He noticed a little notification: Peach, 1 missed call. The paper hero texted her back. 'Sorry, was sleeping, will visit." He considered leaving a few heart toadojis, but decided not to. **"Only if she does first."** He thought. Once he sent the message, he got showered and dressed, and left the house. Mario strolled towards the castle in the distance, but stopped in his tracks when a princess ran over to him. "Mario! Just in time! Have you seen Peach?" Daisy queried. Mario shrugged, looking at her disappointed face.

"Oh. Okay then. It's just that nobody's seen her since last night." She sighed. "But it's cool, I'm sure she's fine." She walked away, her head down, obviously upset that Peach wasn't there on her birthday. Her birthday! Mario had forgotten! He turned around to congratulate her, but she wasn't there anymore. He sighed, and continued his stroll, all the guards would be relying on him to calm them down. Mario pushed open the large doors, only to see many guests from Sarsaland. How could he not realise that if royal blood was visiting guards needed to come too! He shuffled around awkwardly, and tried to enter the princess's chambers, but it was blocked by a toad guard.

"Sorry, Mario." He squeaked. "You can't go in." The toad looked at his concerned face. "Yes, I know we need a detective. Toadette offered to help."

Toadette opened Peach's door from inside. "It's A-Okay! He can come in! You're a master detective, aren't you, Mario?" She winked, and allowed Mario inside. The paper plumber observed the room, looking for clues, when the pink toad tugged his sleeve. "Mario-o-o, Mario! Are you listening? Look, I found these phones on the ground, maybe she was trying to call someone?" Suddenly he felt guilty. **"That's why she called me in the middle of the night!"** He looked at Toadette, his face turning scarlet. "What? She tried to call you? I knew it!" She scratched her head. "Maybe she was kidnapped at night, but if it was Bowser I would kinda expect him to make a big deal out of it. Crash a window, smash a door, you know?" Mario nodded, but he wasn't really paying attention. He thought she would have left something small, so they could find out where she was. He thought about how it would be easier to search for clues. Aha! He had an idea! He rushed out of the castle, and ran all the way back home. He opened a chest, and took something out, which he shoved into a bag. Mario hurried back to the castle, and entered the room. "There you are! Why'd you run off like that! I thought that Bowser turned invisible and snatched you!" Mario shook his head. "Sorry, just kidding. Oooh! What you got there?" She said, pointing at his bag. He reached inside and pulled out a mini mushroom. Toadette tilted her head as Mario ate it, pulling a face. Oh, how he hated mini mushrooms! Grimacing, he swallowed it, causing him to shrink. The plumber squeezed under the bed and found a note that he read in his head. "Please help, Mario! Bowser is here, but I can't see him! I trust you to find this, I know you will. I'll be waiting." It said, in rushed handwriting. Confused, he quickly crawled out from under the bed.

"Show me, Mario!" She reached down to take it, and murmured the words. "Wha-?! What does she mean by 'Bowser is here, but I can't see him'?" Toadette sighed. "At least we know that's he's got her. High-five! Oh wait, you're tiny…" She added, blushing. Mario wasn't in the mood for any more detective work, he knew he had to save the princess. He jogged back home; he had to get ready. By the time he got there, the effects of the mushroom had worn off. The hero put on his best dungarees and shoes, and knocked on Luigi's wooden bunk bed.

"Mario?" He asked, rubbing his eyes. "Wait, you're leaving? I never get to go with you…" Luigi covered his head with a pillow, not wanting to hear anymore. Mario sighed; he felt sorry for his brother, but he couldn't let him help. **"He can't come because this is my mission."** Mario picked up his old hammer, wishing he had a better one, and opened the door. It was going to be a long journey, and he had to be prepared.

 **Hello! A special thanks to you for viewing! I'll be accepting Mario OCs so feel free to ask.**


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